Follower of Trouble
by Tom Cat Hengrave
Summary: This is a a story with Cat and Charlie pairing. Mostly fluff. Rated T for fluff! :)
1. Chapter 1 Awkward Silence

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Cat Royal Adventure Books, and sadly never wrote them.**

**This is another Cat Royal Fan Fiction, although it's a Cat and Charlie pairing. (Just because I love Charlie so much.)**

**And it's also to pass the time. As I have a lot of 'The Ball in Bath' chapters just waiting to be published. :D This one is basically going to be fluff, no depth or anything, (maybe) so be forewarned. :D **

**It's probably going to be a shorter fan fiction just because it's be fluff and all.**

**Anyway, hope you all have fun. :)**

We sat in silence, saying nothing, wishing that Frank would come back and remove all of the awkwardness.

I had never been alone with Charlie before, and I realized, for the first time, that it was quite awkward.

Charlie must have felt the same way, since he wasn't saying anything. Usually he would be making a joke, or planning a trick.

He was never silent. Until now that is.

"So do you usually cause so much trouble?" Charlie grinned, trying to make the situation less awkward.

"If you have to ask a question like that, then you don't know me very well," I smiled in return, "I'm always causing trouble. Wherever I go, trouble follows."

Charlie laughed, "Maybe I should stick around you; add some adventure to my dull and boring life."

"You mean studying to be a lawyer isn't fun?" I asked sarcastically.

Charlie just snorted, "Hardly. I honestly would rather work in a theatre like you do."

"Rather be a poor orphan working at a theatre instead of a rich boy that is soon to be a lawyer?" I grinned.

"I'd rather work with you than anything." Charlie pretended that his words meant nothing.

I raised my eyebrows saying nothing. Did Charlie want to work with me when I was Tom Cat? Or when I was Catherine Royal? Did he mean for his words to have a romantic impact?

**Sorry for the short chapter, but there will be more to come. Don't worry. :)**


	2. Chapter 2 It All Started With Syd

**Thank you all for your reviews! It makes me happy to see that it's already got three. ^-^**

**And yes, the cover is supposed to be Charlie, although I forget what Charlie's supposed to look like. :D *Sheepish grin* (Sometimes Skandar Keynes looks SO MUCH like my brother it's not even funny. Well yes, it is kind of funny...)**

**Okay, so the story will kind of be following the story-line in Cat Among the Pigeons when she's at Cambridge-with more Charlie of course. ;)**

**Yes, anyway, here is the next chapter. :) (By the way, if you think I should do a chapter or two from Charlie's point of view, then say so! But if you want me to stick with Cat's point of view that's fine too.)**

Syd's arrival was announced by a loud thumping at the door.

Frank jumped up, "I'll get it."

"Thanks," I slumped in my chair. I was exhausted from playing a 'boy'. True, being a boy meant you could do all sorts of unladylike things, but it also meant that I had to keep my voice low, perpetually keep a grimace on my face just because boys had the stupid idea in their head that looking 'manly' includes grimacing.

"Cat's gone missin'," Syd breathed hard, "The runners are watching all over the place, the shop, your 'ouse, the theater, the whole town!" Syd's checks were flushed, "I've been keepin' an eye out for 'er, all me boys are watchin' out for her, but she's gone! I'm afraid that something'll 'appen to 'er. If she spends another night on the street, I don't know what I'll do," Syd's eyes were filled with distress.

"Don't you know big Oaf?" Tears threatened to spill onto my face.

"Cat? Cat!" Syd ran to me and scooped me up in his strong arms, "Why on earth are you 'ere?"

"I'm hiding from the runners." I said bluntly, "So far so good."

"You can't stay 'ere!" Syd held me at arms length, examining me, "'They'll find out that you're a girl! And 'wot if the boys pick on you?"

"They already have," Frank said matter-of-factly, "And Cat sorted them out, didn't you Cat?"

"Yep," I started play-punching Syd in the stomach, "I learned some tricks from the master."

"Cat," Syd made me look at him, "This isn't a joke, you could be beat up really badly."

"Syd, I'll be better off here," I kept my tone serious, "The runners would be sure to get me as soon as I walked onto the streets!"

Syd said nothing. When he said nothing it usually meant he knew he wasn't going to win the battle. "Fine."

"Yay-," Syd cut me off.

"But if you get into a fight, just remember to hit here-he pointed to Frank's jaw-, generally don't go below the waistline, but if you're in a real predicament and need to get out of a fight fast, punch right there-Syd pointed-Frank blushed a bright red, and it'll sort them out for a while.

"Thanks Syd," I gave him a half smile.

Syd stood still for a moment, then picked me up with his tough arms, squeezing the life out of me, "Stay safe Cat."

"I will," I hugged him back, although he was draining the life out of me, "You're squeezing me Syd."

"Sorry," He sat me down and grinned, "Goodbye Cat." He waved to me as he walked out the door.

"Bye Syd." Frank and I wandered into the kitchen.

"Sausages anyone?" Charlie held out a pan of sizzling sausages, with grilled bread on the side.

"Sure," I breathed in deeply, "Smells good."

"I'll pass," Frank snitched a piece of sausage, "Mostly," He grinned, "I have to go study. See you guys later."

"Okay." Charlie scraped some sausage and bread onto two different plates, "Poor half-starved Tom Cat first," Charlie grinned and offered me a plate with flourish.

"Haha! Thank you big brother." I dug into the food without further ado.

"So, do you and Syd have a thing going on?" Charlie emphasized the word _thing. _

"Um," This was going to be an awkward conversation, "No..."

Charlie raised his eyebrows, "Sure he doesn't have different ideas?"

"Well..." I trailed off, why did I have to explain this? "Why are you wondering?"

"No reason," Charlie answered quickly. A little _too _quickly.

I gave him a skeptical look.

"I was just curious." Charlie tried to make up for his suspicious answer.

"Really," I stuffed my face with some grilled bread with a hunk of cheese on top, "I might ask what's going on with you and Lucy."

"Nothing at all," He gave me a defiant look, daring me to say otherwise.

"Hah!" I said with my mouth full, "That's why you two were talking privately in the Avon's library awhile ago." I gave a half grin half smirk.

"See? You said yourself that it was awhile ago."

"So you're admitting that you used to like her?" I grinned even bigger.

"No!" Charlie exasperatedly sighed, "She was like my sister; annoying, full of herself, and can't stop digging herself deeper into holes."

"But still lovable," I was enjoying teasing Charlie. It was quite easy to get a reaction from him.

"Ugh," He rolled his eyes, "Maybe like a sister. Nothing more."

I gave him an are-you-sure-about-that look.

"It's the honest truth." He held his hands up, "I can swear."

"It's the same with Syd and myself."

"Really?" Charlie put his hands down, "Does he know that?"

"Does Lucy know how you feel?" I dodged his question.

"I-I don't know. But you didn't answer my question." His normally calm eyes held the look of curiosity that would not be satisfied until he had the answer.

"Well, he sort of knows..." I didn't actually know if Syd knew that I thought as him as a brother. I knew that I had given him hints as to what I thought, but I had never actually flat out told him. "I'm not sure."

"Hah! Didn't think so." Charlie smirked.

"I doubt Lucy knows that you think of her as a sister either." I smirked back.

"Ugh!" Charlie stood up and put his dish on top of the stack of dishes that had piled up, "You're hopeless."

"Am I?" I smiled, "You just don't know how to handle me. Only Syd does." I grinned at the last comment I made.

"Is he?" Charlie said nothing more, making it awkward.

As soon as he washed wiped his hands on a hand towel he irritably exited the room.

_What did I do? _I was baffled. Was he that touchy whenever I mentioned Syd?

**So how'd you like it? :D Still not sure if I should make the story super short or make it a bit longer.**

**(I'm spoiling you guys to death. :D )**

**I feel like Charlie deserves more than just a few chapters. ;) Agreed? **


	3. Chapter 3 Wolfsbane

**Okay, due to a persistant person, I'll update. :)**

"Boys!" An elderly woman exclaimed as she inspected me, "They get more and more reclace as the days go by." She muttered to herself.

I rubbed my eyes, "Where am I?"

All of the events started flooding back into my mind.

Richmond challenging me to a duel, then beating me up, and then finally I had lost contiousness.

My head pounded at the thought.

"Take off yir shirt dearie," The old woman prodded, "I need to apply wolfsbane to yir back."

All weariness dissapeared and shock replaced it. "No."

"Don't be so stubbron!" The old woman scolded, "It needs to be applied if you don't want to have a nice lookin' back again."

My eyes widened even more. "No." I whispered.

Charlie thankfully chose that moment to barge in, "Where is Ca-Tom?" He studied the old woman. Then took a look at my horrified face.

"Here," The old woman shoved the wolfsbane into Charlie's hands. "Yir the boy's brother, no?"

"I am..." Charlie answered hesitantly.

"Then put that on his back." The woman sighed wearily and put her hands on her hips, "He's a shy one. Won't take his shirt off."

Charlie's eyes widended as far as mine, "If you'll excuse us, I'll just put it on him."

"Thank ye kindly." The woman strutted out of the room.

Charlie handed me the wolfsbane and turned his back.

"Cat what happened to you!" Charlie demanded angrily, "Who did it?"

"Uh..." I rubbed some wolfsbane on my arms, "I can't reach my back."

By Charlie's voice, I could tell that he was blushing, "Right."

I turned around and covered my front, "Okay Charlie."

I sat on the bed waiting for him to apply the wolfsbane.

"Who did it Cat?" Charlie massaged the wolfsbane into my back. "I'll kill them." His voice seethed with anger.

"Richmond." My voice was barely above a whisper, "But please Charlie, don't do anything back to him, he'll just hurt you too, and that would just hurt me more if you got hurt becuase of me."

"I swear I will make him sorry that he was ever born." Charlie's rubbing got more vigorous as if he hadn't heard a word I said.

"Charlie please," I begged. "Don't do anything."

"He can't just get away with this Cat!" His voice strained.

"It's better than Hawkins." I tried seeing the bright side of things.

"Not funny Cat." He muttered.

"Really Charlie, I'll be fine. I'll just stay with you or Frank all of the time."

"He should still pay."

"Are ye done?" The door burst open.

"Yes," Charlie quickly averted his eyes as I hurried to put my shirt back on.

"Promise me you won't do anything to Richmond," I whispered to Charlie, "He isn't worth it."

Charlie faced me and I saw a fire in his eyes, "But you are."

I sat on my bed contemplating his response. Would he actually hurt Richmond? If he did, Richmond would surely get back and hurt either himself, Frank, or myself.

I was honestly confused as to whether I wanted him to avenge my honor, or make sure he stayed safe.

Would I be dissapointed if he didn't go after Richmond for my sake? Or did I even care what he did or thought?

I wasn't even sure what to think anymore. Once upon a time I though I had something for Johnny, but then he had to go and marry Lizzie.

And there was J-F. I didn't even know what to think about the French thief.

But then there was Charlie. He was kind, gentle, considerate, just about everything a girl could ask for.

Wait a minute. This wasn't how Cathrine Royal was supposed to think. Right? Right.

"Go back to sleep dearie." The woman introoded my girly thoughts and pushed my shoulder so I'd lie down.

I didn't protest. Sleep would surely help me sort out my thoughts. Little did I know how wrong I was.

**Okay, so I wrote this mainly to let ya'll know that this story is on hold, because I'm writing a book on Wattpad (called Texas Stars - The Cowboys' Love Series) and I'm also writing "The Ball in Bath". I know all love Charlie, (as do I) and you want to see more of him, but you'll have to be patient. (If you can, read my story on Wattpad! It'd make me really really happy! :) ) Thank you all so much!**

**Lizzie~**


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